How do we achieve gender equality in academia?
This year's gender equality seminar addressed a large and important topic: how we can increase the diversity and number of female employees in academic positions.
Rector Øystein Thøgersen started by sharing some encouraging numbers. The number of female newly hired PhDs has increased from 40 percent in 2020 to 62 percent in 2024.
NHH has been working on gender equality measures to increase the number of female researchers for a number of years. Factors that explain why things are taking time include low turnover, few new hires, cultural factors and strong international competition for the best talents.
At this year's 8 March event, a good group of employees had found their way to Aud Q. The department heads in the room nodded in agreement when Thøgersen talked about how demanding it is to get hold of the young talents.
AI gender differences
SNF researcher Catalina Franco has education and gender as one of her research specialties. She shared experiences from her research on the use of AI. Franco has done research on NHH students and their use and perception of AI in education.
It is especially female students with high GPA who will come out badly if there are no clear guidelines around the use of AI.
'Clear guidelines are important to prevent gender differences,' Franco explained to a very interested audience.
Creating a safety net
– Everyone belongs at NHH, was Malin Arve's clear message.
She has worked on various equality projects at NHH, the most recent together with Evelina Gavrilova-Zoutman and Aruna Tatavarthy.
Arve told about how they in BELONG are focusing more on international employees and belonging to the organization and colleagues. The project is about creating a safety net at NHH. Some of the initiatives that the project has worked on are the employment calendar in Paraplyen in December and a series of articles in the NHH Bulletin. In addition to gatherings, networking and workshops. .
BELONG: strengthening the sense of belonging at NHH
Broader understanding of diversity
BELONG has received funding from The Research Council (NFR) and BALANSE+, in addition to central gender equality funds at NHH.
From the Norwegian Research Council, Department director Johannes Waage Løvhaug visited NHH for the first time. 57 projects have been awarded BALANSE funds, and 156 million kroner has been distributed to institutions in Norway to date.
Løvhaug spoke about a new plan for gender balance, gender perspective and diversity that is currently under revision. The Research Council is working with a broader perspective, with more focus on diversity, and which is more action-oriented.
Action plan and call for proposals for BALANSE+ (in Norwegian)
At NHH, the important work to increase the proportion of female faculty members continues. More young female researchers, work on diversity and creating safety nets are important steps on the way forward.